Discuss Fall Foliage in Vermont, when to come, where to stay, where to take a tour etc. Note: You must be registered in order to post. If you have trouble registering, use the contact us form on Scenes of Vermont's home page.

I am based in Seattle and planning to do a short visit in New England. I will be flying in Boston and then will do a loop drive. I have been reading and trying to get fall foliage predictions through websites, but I believe locals will be more accurate in giving realistic scenerio, hence I am here.
I am interested in doing photography not only fall colors, but beautiful vistas, fields and some architecture as well.
1- I have two weekends only, when I can travel. 28th Sep - 3rd Oct and 12th Oct - 17th Oct. Some posts say that my early dates are too early and later dates 'can be' past peak.
2- I should concentrate on which area ? I am getting impression that southern New England can be more photogenic in comparison to North.

I am in other side of US and may not come again in next few years, so I want to plan it carefully. Please throw some suggestions and advises.

Hey Sparks! Welcome to the forum! You have posed some great questions!

You have a perfect first weekend for northern VT and the White Mountains of NH. The later weekend if you choose that one, would be fine for south central and southern VT as well as the Champlain Valley. In the mid to later part of the second weekend, you would have fine foliage in the Berkshires of western MA, Boston area, and most of Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Depending on which weekend you choose, I don't think either of your weekends are "too late" or "too early'! But choosing which one, will determine where you should go and we can help you a lot better.

New England is photogenic mostly everywhere and I would dare say that northern and southern New England each have their own flare and personality. Your timing is great so just pick one and go for it!

I'm sure you will get A LOT of responses here! Securing your lodging at least for the first weekend is crucial but you should have much more flexibility after Columbus Day Weekend.

Many of our locals are on the spot ready to help you but our regulars from out of state, know VT like the back of their hand, so stay tuned!

Welcome!!!! CT

CT - Board Admin and Moderator for Scenes of Vermont
**************Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot

It is good to know.
I was going through think link - http://www.foliage-vermont.com/foliageinflash.htm
And per this, peak is at no place 28th Sep - 3rd Oct and central area is past peak by mid October, which scared me. See attached picture from that website.

Hello again Sparks! This is a generalization chart from years of foliage averages in the state. No one really knows when the "peak" will occur as it is pretty subjective and can be unpredictable. To clarify, your "timing" for the first week is good for the northern tiers of VT and NH for good foliage viewing. You'll see that I never mentioned "peak" in my first response.

I would recommend choosing a weekend to come out and go with it. A lot of factors still need to come into play yet. If you choose the first weekend, I would hop on some lodging asap!

Hope others will chime in with their opinions, as I value their thoughts and observations as to your questions. I understand your level of uncertainly as you are coming from the other side of the country however! We are here to help! CT

Hi Sparks and welcome! I wouldn't pay much attention to that foliage planner map. I personally can't stand that thing.
It's impossible to pinpoint when peak will be.....especially on this map which remains the same year after year after year.
There are so many variables that go into when the colors will "pop" each year. The past two seasons have been "later" than typically what is expected. There have also been many seasons which have been "earlier" than what is typically expected.
This year looks like the colors make be coming along a bit earlier than "typical" by maybe a week. There has been a lot of unseasonable chilly temps over the past couple of weeks in New England which have started to set of EARLY colors. Meaning, it's still quite early so don't panic.

As CT stated, both of these dates that you have mentioned are do-able. Color starts to change in Northern New England and works it's way down to Southern New England. Your dates of Sept 28-Oct 3rd should put you in some great color this year up in Northern NH and Northern VT. I agree with CT that your later dates would be good in Rhode Island and Connecticut. The city of Boston always changes a bit later...more towards the end of October.

If I were you, I would choose your first dates and head up to the Northeast Kingdom of Vt and Northern NH. There's so many beautiful places to photograph up there. Not much architecture though....except some buildings in St Johnsbury VT that I can think of off the top of my head. Let us know what you decide, and as CT already told you......you need to get your lodging booked asap. Good luck!
Carol

As for my interests, we are not only interested in photography of fall foliage, but also landscapes with foliage, red and yellow foliage (and hopefully blue skies). To give better shape to pictures, I think, it is good to have some countryside or beautiful architecture. We are nature lovers, but not for hikes, as we are going with our 2 years old son. When I say landscape and fall color with architecture (not urban/city), I mean something like this - https://goo.gl/MUpG49
Out of my both dates (28th Sep - 3rd Oct and 12th Oct - 17th Oct), I would like to visit, when places of my interest will be in best of their time. But from both of your post, it looks like, 28th Sep - 3rd Oct. Hopefully, I should be able to photograph some countryside in their peak color.

Now, for routes and places, we are two drivers and good to drive long distances. We will reach Boston at midnight, so will not be leaving but can leave on morning of 29th Sep (Friday). Our return flight would be on 3rd October at 7:20 PM, after returning rental car.

May be, I can include southern Vermont, going from Bennington to Brattleboro, middle of Vermont on Rt 4, going from Rutland to Woodstock into New Hampshire and White Mountains in northern NH.
Should I include Acadia and parts of Maine as well ?
What are your suggestions ?

Hi Sparks,
Ok I have a better idea of what you are looking for. You do NOT want to go to Acadia NP or Maine for two reasons. If you decide to go on the earlier dates, the color will not be at coastal Maine yet. The second reason is there is not enough time for you to possibly cover all of those areas.
My recommendation is for you to leave Boston early in the morning. Head up Rte 93 North. This will take you through Franconia Notch area of the White Mountains. You will be there in three hours. Explore this area head to Sugar Hill NH, Franconia, Woostock etc. Spend the day in this area, and then head up to the NEK of Vermont for your lodging.......somewhere in St Johnsbury or Lyndonville if you can find something. This will put you in a great spot and we can map you out some routes from there.
Carol

That is great. So, I am trying to put it as high level plan and then will keep filing it, with some more reading on my side.
28-Sep - Reach Boston. Pick rental car and stay nearby.
29-Sep - Drive to White Mountains, Franconia Notch State Park, Sugar Hill. Stay overnight at Burke Mountain Hotel in East Burke
30-Sep -
01-Oct -
02-Oct -
03-Oct - Slow drive back to Boston. Return rental car and fly out at 7:20 PM

Sorry, I am putting you to do 'my' homework, but I am running short of time, so need to reserve hotels asap, as suggested, so even I get some rough idea, based on interest as mentioned in my previous post, I will be obliged.

Last edited by bsparks276 on Sun Sep 10, 2017 9:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hi sparks. Just stay in one place. If you book at Burke mountain or the other places I recommended it will put you in an ideal location for you to travel through the northeast kingdom each day. Use the hotel as your home base. After you book I can help you fill in the blanks of specific scenic areas to go to including churches etc. we can come up with an awesome itinerary for you. Will check back tomorrow
Carol

I really appreciate your efforts Carol. I will book hotel tonight. I have 4 nights, so (initially) I thought if taking hotel at two places will help us to cover more ground, if few places are far, depend on which area is at peak or even non-fall-foliage scenery (not only Vermont but in other New England area too). Central VT will be different area and still be mostly green, but how picturesque it would be at that time. But will go with your recommendations, as you know better, what is best
One small change in original plan. I am able to get another flight, which will reach at 20:00. This can allow me to leave Boston on same night towards destination. May be till the place, from where scenic place will start or till Salem NH.
Will wait for your response. Good night.

Last edited by bsparks276 on Mon Sep 11, 2017 2:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hi Sparks: Carol has a good handle on your itin as she knows the area the best. Might I recommend the Comfort Inn and Suites as a home base in St. Johnsbury as well if you have not already booked your lodging?

Thanks CT. I can see availability during my dates in Comfort Inn, though more expensive than other choices.

I have booked flight, but not lodging yet. I will wait for Carol or any other destination expert to come in and help me with question, asked in my previous post, regarding 1 base vs 2 bases, then I will reserve lodging as well.

Sparks, I think you picked the better of the 2 weekends and agree with Carol's suggestion that you consider just one hotel as a "home base". The only thing I might do differently is stay 3 nights in the Northeast Kingdom (VT) area and then a 4th night more in Central VT if that's an area you want to explore during the latter time of the trip.
I make my home base in the Killington region and can get to most any area of the state within a 2 hour drive. There is a LOT to explore in the Northeast area and I think you will be hitting it during peak/near peak colors.
Enjoy your time in VT!!

mmvt wrote:Sparks, I think you picked the better of the 2 weekends and agree with Carol's suggestion that you consider just one hotel as a "home base". The only thing I might do differently is stay 3 nights in the Northeast Kingdom (VT) area and then a 4th night more in Central VT if that's an area you want to explore during the latter time of the trip.
I make my home base in the Killington region and can get to most any area of the state within a 2 hour drive. There is a LOT to explore in the Northeast area and I think you will be hitting it during peak/near peak colors.
Enjoy your time in VT!!

Killington seems good, if Carol suggests as per my interests and schedule.

Regarding Central VT, during my dates, will be worth photographically ? Lush green looks good, red/yellow fall color looks good, but not grey or faded greenery. What can I expect from Central VT during that time ?